Tie and rail-clasp.



No. 747,806. PATENTBD DEG.V 22, 1903.

P. WQ TOPLIPP.

TIE AND RAIL CLASP.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1, 1903.-

NO MODEL.

Patented December 22, 1903.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS W. TOPLIFF, OF GREENLAND, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

TIE AND RAIL-CLASP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent'No. 747,806, dated December22, 1903. Application filed May 1, 197073. serai No. 155.190. (Nomodel.)

.To @ZZ whom it mag/concern:-

Be it known that 1, FRANCIS W.'To1 LIEE,

a citizen of the United States of America, re-

siding at Greenland, in the county of Rockingham and State ot'y NewHampshire, have invented certain new and -useful Improvements in Tiesand Rail-Clasps, of which the following is a specitication, referencebeing had therein to the accompanying drawings. I

This inventionA relates to an improved tie and the rail-clasp used inconjunctionl therewith, having more particular reference to that classof ties formed of metal.

The invention aims to produce a tie which Fig. 3 illustrating a top planview of the same in its completed state. Fig. llis an end View thereoflooking toward arrow X, Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a side elevation lookingtoward the arrow YFig. 3. Fig. 6 is a plan of the shank as it is stampedin metal, and Fig. 7 is a section on line 7 7 of Fig. 1.

`l designates the base, which is formed of metal and which is of suchsize as to meet conditions as shown as being rectangular.

The upper face 2 of the tie is formed of metal of a widthapproximately'that of the base, its ends being bent .downwardly in ahorizontal plane, as at 4:, to engage with base 1, to which it isriveted through the medium of rivets 5. By this means of construction aspace is provided between the base and the upper face ofthe tie, and inorder to give the latter necessary strength and rigidity I imposebetween the base and the topof the tie supporting means which embrace" aspringmetal member 6, which has a somewhat Z- shaped'continuous form.The ends 7 of member 6 lie in a horizontal plane and are riveted to theupper face of the tie 2, as at 8, their inner portionsbeing inclineddownwardly, as at 9, and from thence being continued in a horizontalplane, as at 10, to engage with the base l, and-then extending upwardlyat an incline, as at 11, to engage with the underside of the top 2 andfrom thence being extended in a horizontal` plane, as at 12. Theseportions 12, as shown, are riveted to the top 2, as at 13, the innerportions of the horizontal members l2 being vinclined downwardly, as at14, and being connected by yhorizontal member l5, y

lwhich engages with the upper face'of base l, as shown. It will beperceived that the spring member 6 is formed of a continuous length ofmetal,and by its arrangement,as previously described, I form pockets 16,which may receive the illing 17 either for ballasting purposes or foradding rigidity to the inclined supporting members 9 and 11.

Preferably the base l is formed with upturned sides 1S, which extend thelength thereof and which may be either continuous of the base or may beindependent strips of metal secured in any approved fashion. Likewise Imay slit the top 2,'as at 19, and turn the metal betweensu'ch slitsdownwardly, as at 20, which servesto addrigidity to the tie and increaseits stiness. By locating the pockets directly beneaththat portion of thetie which receives the rails a more resilient tie may be formed thanotherwise, the top of the tie being supported on either side of therail, and by means of the fillingI may, if found desirable, decrease theresiliency to the necessary extent by placing a sufficiency thereofwithin said pockets'l6 in order to cornpletely fill the latter. For thispurpose wood might be employed or other such material as will be foundto have a certain degree of resilient properties.

As stated, I form a rail-clasp out of sheet metal, preferably bystamping the same, this clasppembracing, as seen in Fig. 6, a bodyportion 21, which along one of its sides is notched, as at 22, and whichat its one end carries a shank 23, surmounted bya head 24, the latterbeing formed with an inclined face 25, adapted for engagement with theupper side'of the rail-base, the side thereof engaging the side 26 ofthe head. As will be noted from Fig. 5 of the drawings, the shank 23 isturned upwardly at a substantial right angle to the end 27 of the body2l along the dotted lines 28. The portion 21 is then turned up Wardlyata substantial right angle along the dotted line 29, which forms afiange 30, as seen in Fig. 5 of the drawings, the function of which willbe referred to hereinafter. Portion 2l is now turned on the dotted line3l, so as to lie parallel with portion 32, being spaced therefrom byvirtue of the vertical portion 33. This vertical portion 33 is of suchheight as will receive the upper face 2 of the tie in order thatportions 32 and 2l will engage the lower and upper faces of the top ofthe tie, respectively. This can be seen from Fig. 7 of the drawings. Thetie upon its upper face 2 is provided with cut-out portions 34 of aWidth equal to that of the shank 23 in order that the shank may bereceived within these openings 34:, thereby permitting the verticalportion 33 and the dange 30 to engage with the side edges of the top 2.Adjacent openings 34. are small apertures or perforations 35, which areadapted to receive tongues 36, struck out from portion 2l, which willeffectually prevent disengagement of the clasp from the tie.

In operation it will be perceived that the clasp having been formed asset forth maybe readily slid into engagement with the top 2, the shank23 being received within the aperture 34, at which time the tongue 36may be driven downwardly to enter apertures 35, when the clasp willassume its normal position in close contact with the base of the rail.The clasp, by virtue of having its base engage the tie on both sidesthereof, will be in a secure position. The movement thereof will beprevented by reason of tongue 36 being secured as aforesaid.

It will be noted that the rail-clasps are located on opposing sides ofthe tie, as well as on opposing sides of the rail, there being,

however, but two clasps employed in connec* tion with each rail and tie,though it is permissible to employ two for each rail at each side of thetie.

The above illustrates a practical embodiment of the invention, though itwill be observed that alterations and modifications may be resorted towithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and Itherefore do not Wish to be restricted to the details of constructionherein set forth,which will be necessary to an operative disclosure ofthe invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A tie formed of a base and a top, the top having its ends connectedto the base, and a spring member secured to the top and extendingdownwardly to engage the base at different points thereof, said springmember forming pockets and located in alinement with the rails.

2. A tie consisting of a base, a top having its ends bent downwardly toengage the base, and secured thereto, a spring member engaging the topof the base at points in staggered relation to one another, therebyforming pockets to receive the filling.

3. A tie consisting of a base and a top, a spring member interposedbetween the two, and clasps received by the top and engaging theopposing faces thereof, said clasps being secured on opposing sides ofthe rail at each side of the tie.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

FRANCIS W. TOPLI FF.

Witnesses:

JOHN E. TowLE, M. J. LoWD.

